Celebrated in Medom (April-May), Thrissur Pooram consists of parades of richly dressed up elephants from various neighboring temples to the Vadakumnathan Temple. There is no other single festival in Kerala that draws such an incredible number of people. The festival of colors and sound, the Pooram displays the goodness of the people of Trichur. Unlike most other temple festivals, Thrissur Pooram is participated and conducted by people of all caste and religions. It is an expression of well-admired appeal for sound and colour. Because of the pompous attributes, this festival, appeals to all people. This colorful festival is indubitably an extraordinary delicacy both for the eyes and the ears.

History of Thrissur Pooram
This is the largest temple festival held in the property of Vadakkumnathan Temple, dedicated to Lord Shiva. Long before the initiation of Thrissur Pooram, Thrissur Taluk was the largest temple festival at Arattupuzha. Temples in and around Thrissur were regular participants of this religious festival. But once they were deprived of the entry by the prime chief of the Peruvanam area of Cherpu. So to avenge the wounded feelings of the spirituals of Thrissur, Raja Rama Varma (1751-1805), the ruler of the Cochin state invited all these temples to bring their deities to Thrissur where they could pray to Lord (Sri) Vadakunnathan together. This background determines the course of the Pooram program for the common man.

Thrissur Pooram Celebrations
The Pooram festival is celebrated by two rival groups, representing the two divisions of Thrissur Paramekkavu and Thiruvambadi. They challenge and try to overshadow each other with a more magnificent display of fireworks and better barded elephants. The participants are permitted to showcase 15 beautifully decorated elephants each during the festival. For this purpose, the groups leave no stone unturned to get the best elephants of the area. Fireworks add to the dazzling beauty of the environment. Devotees perform various folk arts like Kummatti, Karivela and Andivela during the festival. The celebrations embark on early in the morning and last till the next morning dawn.

With a great elephant march, harmonious percussion, colorful procession and musical performances, the Pooram festival is the most thunderous, spectacular and dazzling festival of the region.

Thrissur Pooram Date in 2008
13th May